The expansion includes new Friday morning walk-in clinics from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. as well as new evening hours on Mondays from 5 to 7 p.m. During these times, one-on-one sessions with a counselor are offered free of charge.

“Our goal is to ensure that every woman in our community has access to affordable, effective mental health care when she needs it, regardless of ability to pay,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Irvin, LCSW. “Being open for additional free walk-in wellness consults is another important step toward that goal.”

The Women's Initiative provides vital mental health services for women during times of challenge and change, including all the ups and downs of parenting.

C-VILLE Weekly's Mother's Day cover story includes voices of three of our staff discussing the need for emotional support for new moms and those transitioning back to work.

To complement the story, we put together a ...

Self-Care List for Working Moms

Be gentle with yourself and other moms: Often, we are our own worst critics. Set realistic expectations, let go of trying to do it all perfectly, and challenge cultural myths about “supermothering”

Prioritize sleep, healthy eating and healthy movement: These can be the first things to go when moms do everything for everyone else first, yet these basics are essential to your ability to care for yourself and others.

Lean on your support system: Foster connections with family and friends so that you can ask for help (for both practical things and emotional support) when you need it.

5-minute stress reduction: Decompress throughout the day, and especially when transitioning from home to work and back. Try: Singing along to a favorite song, doing chest and shoulder stretches to open your heart, taking a short brisk walk, or eating a mindful snack.

Advocate for systems-level change: Speak up for improvements that move us toward equity in the workplace and parenting roles. If you can, encourage workplace innovation such as flex time, parental leave benefits, and childcare subsidies. Question assumptions about who holds the most parenting responsibility in the family.

Free support groups for moms at TWI

Mothering Circle of Charlottesville: Connect with other mothers, support each other, and share your stories in a safe, nurturing environment. Fourth Wednesdays of every month, 7-9 pm. 1101 East High St.

Click here for a full list of free groups and social support offerings at The Women's Initiative

"Wanting to reduce as many barriers as possible, we created walk-in clinics as a chance for any woman to come in and be seen same-day, confidentially, with a therapist, and begin the journey of healing," Irvin says.

CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle form of bodywork that can help relieve pain and stress. The practitioner uses light touch on the head, along the spine, and on the sacrum to release compression. Many people experience deep relaxation and increased physical ease during and after a CranioSacral Therapy session. At The Women’s Initiative sessions are done laying down on a massage table while fully clothed.

Tuesday mornings are all about health at the Jefferson School City Center.

The Women's Initiative is teaming up with fellow Jefferson School City Center partners Sentara Starr Hill Health Center and Common Ground Healing Arts to expand the free wellness services we provide on a drop-in basis every Tuesday morning.

Now, in addition to free walk-in appointments with a counselor from 9 am-noon each Tuesday at our Jefferson School office, you can come in for physical health testing and referral including: blood pressure checks, blood sugar testing, weight checks and quick wellness and nutrition advice, all provided by Sentara Starr Hill Health Center.

Additionally, Common Ground will be providing a rotating slate of mind-body offerings including acupuncture, massage and mindfulness training.

The Women's Initiative also offers free walk-in clinics Monday mornings at Westhaven and Wednesday afternoons at our main office. Click here for details.

Click here for the NBC29 story about Wellness Tuesdays at the Jefferson School.